Parc Asterix

[Dom]

We have a good image of the trains now.



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[Tom]

Really gutted that this wasn't open when we visited, it looks sooooooooooo fun!

[lewis97]

Videos of the queue line and an on-ride POV have emerged, although apparently the theming is yet to be completely finished and it seems the mid-ride show sequence before the train is sent backwards is not functional yet.

[MakoMania]

The park welcomed a new Bottlenose Dolphin calf on November 23rd, 2017.

[Ladyofthelake]

Parc Asterix have announced that they will be getting a new rollercoaster for the 2021 season. The announcment, made on French TV Channel TF1, confirmed that the park is working on a LSM launch caster, similar in style to Taron and they are hoping to incorporate new elements that haven't been featured on previous LSM launch coasters. Full details are below:

In the French TV show “Sept à Huit” broadcast on May 20th, 2018 on TF1 (French TV channel), Frédéric Dubosc, development manager at Parc Astérix (France) has announced the park is currently working on a new LSM launch coaster which will open in 2021 ! The park has taken the example of Taron, Phantasialand’s 2016 addition designed by Intamin. We can also talk about the latest Intamin LSM Coasters like Soaring with Dragon or Red Force. In addition, for the moment, by 2021, 3 new Intamin LSM Coasters will have opened with this technology. So we hope for new elements on this new roller coaster!

This is certainly an exciting announcement from Parc Asterix - might have to look at a return trip for 2021!

[Robert.W]

I'm guessing this will be to compete with Disneyland Paris' Walt Disney Studios transformation which begins around 2020. 

Certainly exciting though! I wonder what these new elements they are talking about are... 

[Kilo_SSK]

If Disneyland's renovation project begins in 2020, then it may well mean that Parc Astérix will enjoy an advantage for a couple months; I'm not complaining against it, since I liked the latter much more than the former. However, that will mean huge waiting lines as something new will appear, I'll try to bring my family there during a week day in October or something as to avoid the summertime weekend crowds.

[Swarm Chris]

So Intamin seem to have given their engineers the greenlight to increase craziness. This looks like really good fun! Coming in 2021.
Video from the Intamin press conference at IAAPA.

[abigsmurf]

A track switch on a high speed section without holding brakes either side is extremely impressive if they pull it off with good reliability.

Wonder what the emergency braking will be like for when theres a fault detected on the switch

[Chris]

This looks absolutely immense. Cannot wait!

Will round off the parks coaster collection off nicely - they just need to dump Goudurix and RMC the woodie

[nicky.borrill]

Won’t the LSM’s be changing polarity to launch in both directions? So they would double up as an emergengy brake won’t they?

Can’t wait for this, or the new walabi coaster, both are gonna be amazing by the looks of things.

[abigsmurf]

Won’t the LSM’s be changing polarity to launch in both directions? So they would double up as an emergengy brake won’t they?

Can’t wait for this, or the new walabi coaster, both are gonna be amazing by the looks of things.

The polarity will determine which direction they accelerate I believe. When you turn turn the power off from the magnets their function reverses and it converts the motion of the trains into electricity. I suspect the magnets wouldn't be enough to bring the train to a stop, especially as it seems to be going at a high speed before it hits them, plus I'd imagine there will be some additional brakes for redundancy. 
I would imagine the amount of safety measures around that switch would be insane, if only because of how horrific it would be if they failed when the train was going at high speed.

[nicky.borrill]

Won’t the LSM’s be changing polarity to launch in both directions? So they would double up as an emergengy brake won’t they?

Can’t wait for this, or the new walabi coaster, both are gonna be amazing by the looks of things.

The polarity will determine which direction they accelerate I believe. When you turn turn the power off from the magnets their function reverses and it converts the motion of the trains into electricity. I suspect the magnets wouldn't be enough to bring the train to a stop, especially as it seems to be going at a high speed before it hits them, plus I'd imagine there will be some additional brakes for redundancy. 
I would imagine the amount of safety measures around that switch would be insane, if only because of how horrific it would be if they failed when the train was going at high speed.

I think so too, there will be lots of reduncancy. Although I would have thought they could stop a train travelling horizontally at speed with magnets if they can stop a large vehicle falling vertically at speed down a high tower with them???

[Swarm Chris]

There'll be some additional braking system somewhere, as although I suspect the LSMs will be used to provide significant emergency braking, magnetic brakes can't bring an item to a standstill.

Going to be interesting to see how they engineer this. Hope it's all worth it, because I suspect this will be a big cause of safety cut outs.